Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Mixed Blessing

My parents are coming today to help out with the kids for the next couple of days while PDQs babysitter is having surgery. Then, on Saturday they are taking the kids back home with them for the week of Spring Break. When I originally asked if they’d come out and help for a couple of days it was just part of the childcare calculus plan. When they came to visit for PDQs birthday my Mom inquired about it being Spring Break and offered to take them back home for the week. I was hesitant at first, trying to figure out why that wasn’t a good idea but couldn’t find anything other than it wasn’t part of my carefully calculated plan (and I’d miss them, a lot).

Now its here, my girls are leaving on Saturday morning and we will join them at the end of next week and enjoy a long Easter weekend with my family. This week has been seriously chaotic, there is something going on every night and some nights more than one thing, I feel like I haven’t spent nearly enough time with the girls next week and next week I will mope because I miss them. Don’t get me wrong, we have something planned for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of next week with only grown-ups. I have at least one small home improvement project planned (G-man—surprise!). And I am relishing the thought of not having morning time fights about getting ready or trying to keep track of anyone but myself (and maybe G-man just a tiny bit).

So the other scary part of the tale, my mother, alone in my house for 3 hours tomorrow morning and then with the kids all day on Friday. It used to make me nuts that she’d come to my house and clean. Now I’ve realized that no matter the state of cleanliness when she arrives she’ll find something to clean-up. Now I either plan a project for her or I just leave the mess to give her something to do. Still, so many hours alone gives me a small dose of anxiety. Not so bad if she could just do the cleaning but when I have to hear it its reminiscent of nails on the chalkboard. Boobah seems to be channeling her, the other day when I told her the size 3 pants didn’t fit her anymore she went upstairs and took ALL of them out of her drawers and put them in a pile to give away. She isn’t such a great help for G-man or I but when Grammy is there she follows her around like a little shadow helping out. Could we bottle that?

So, if you had a child-free week what would you do? What would you miss the most about the kids? What would you not miss at all?

8 comments:

Let's see - I think leaving your mom projects is a good idea. My mom always likes to help out and so when I finally took her offer, she felt great and she did a super job on something I had avoided for a long time.

What would I do? I would enjoy getting to work by 7:00 or 7:30 a.m. instead of slithering in around 8:10 a.m. I would work out without fearfully watching the baby monitor. I would drink wine or a margarita as soon as I walked into the house. I would probably have sex once or twice - hell, even three times. Hm. Go to nice restaurants during the week like we did pre-kids.

The list is long. But, I would miss the kids. A lot. With a wine glass in my hand.

I would watch every shameless and trashy reality show on TV I could find. We would go out to really nice restaurants every night. We'd actually have conversations without being interrupted every 2.7 seconds. We'd sleep in and lounge around.

But you know, as much as the incessant chatter can grate on my nerves, I would miss my sweet boy horribly. Especially his big hugs and kisses.

Now I want to go grab him!

By the way, my mom insists on taking over the kitchen every time she comes and you know how that grates on me - so I just let her take over and she's much happier. And MIL, I let her clean or whatever. One year she pulled weeds in our yard much to the disgust of our neighbors who thought we were making her slave away in the heat. Um, no, she wanted to and I was so glad to have her out from under my feet that I supplied the bucket and gloves!

You've all heard me WHINE about getting through every other weekend without the kids. My solution is to schedule a whole laundry list of things that I've always wanted to do but couldn't...and I think you're well on your way!

awwww. That is so cool. I hope you enjoy your week. I've only been a mom for such a short time I don't really have a list yet. I'd probably just sit and cry. And I'd of course I'd have to drink because I'd be so sad!! =) But, when my brother and I were little we always went to my grandparents for a week in the summer. We had the time of our lives and I was always partly sad when my mom arrived because I had to leave my grandparents and partly happier than ever to see her b/c I missed her SO MUCH!!!!!